From Review to Reuse: How Post-Task Workflow Can Support Human-AI Agent Interaction

2026-09-11

AI Summary

研究通过开发Trace2Flow将AI执行过程转化为可编辑的图形表示，以提高用户对AI执行过程的理解和复用能力。

Abstract

AI agents can automate tasks by turning a single natural-language request into a multi-step process spanning tools, files, and applications. Users are often left to judge that process from fragmented execution information and the final output. To make the completed process easier to understand, validate, and reuse, we investigate post-task workflows: editable, graph-based representations of an agent's completed execution. We first analyzed 10,803 public workflow templates from n8n to characterize real-world automation practice, then developed Trace2Flow, a research probe that translates agent execution traces into interactive post-task workflows. In a study, participants (N = 20) reviewed agent executions with prompt or agent errors. We found that post-task workflows improved their understanding and error detection over a prompt-only condition, and that validation succeeded mainly when users cross-checked across multiple evidence sources. For follow-up tasks, adapting the workflow matched adapting the prior prompt in success, time, and difficulty, and was often preferred.

Problem

• Post-Task Workflow
• Human-AI Interaction
• Execution Trace

Innovation

• Post-Task Workflow
• Trace2Flow
• Human-AI Interaction